Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1887-04-21

there is good deal OF issati,faction
found in this county with the stock
detective and inspection law. IL is not
confined to small owners, by any
means, although they may have the
greatest cause for complaint. Many
regard the system too expensive for
the benefits derived, and do not hesi-
tate to ,lenOtlnce it. Wehave regarded
the law as experimental and thought
it contained many good features. but
whether it has proven of such benefit
to warrant long existence must be
determined by those most interested
and whose position to get at the fact :
Is better than ours can possibly he.
The Montana Live Stock journal,
whose editor learned all about the
range industry down in Indiana,
speaks snecrinsly of the petition sent
to the legislature last winter from the
Judith Basin asking for the repeal or
amendment of the law. This journal
says the petition was presented with
but beggarly array OF names attached
to it, which excited no attention and
passed into meritel oblivion. SO
much for Il class journal.
/ Mr.. Ettien, in last week River Press,
goes for the journal man rough shod.
He says the petition contained 80
names OF actual settlers. nearly all of
whom contributed to the stock detect
! i've fund. and was circulated when the
snow was two feet deep. We give space
/ for an extract from Mr.. Ettien's letter:
! ut might be added that in the report of
+ the board 81 stock commissioners it is
claimed that the detective service has been
( a prime factor ia preventing crime; in fact
has almos, pat step to stealin. in the
counties wherein the law cooperative. Not
1 withdrawing this it is IA fact that there
was more horse stealing in Meagher and
/ Fergus counties (this being the center Of
the detective system) during the past year
/ than in any previous year since the county
was settled. Aud what were our stock de-
tectives doing all this time? Not trying to
capture thieves or stolen stock, so | have
been informed by several parties who had
. lost stock; but | do know that several
parties whose stock had been stolen by
horse thieves were Obliged to go in pursuit
Of the thieves themselves, although they
had paid their contribution to the stock
/ detective fund. During this time our de-
/ tective was struggling around the country
looking for crippled animal belongingto II
very large cattle owner, which had strayeJ
on the range. will close by Saying that
the sentiment expressed by the Montana
Live Stock Journal and other stock pa
pers are not at all calculated 70 bring
about the settlement and development of
the country. On the contrary, il tends to
oppose the settlement of the f',irest por-
ton Of Montana by runchuea. Many oI
the large stockmen are in the same predic-
ament. They have probably forgotten the
time when they commenced la he business,
commencing at the foot of the ladder.
when they were compelled to rustic to pay
their taxes, or it may he times were better
in those days and it did not work such II
hardship upon them as upon the poor.
struggling. small st ock owner of these days
We cannot agree with Mr.. Ettien IN
the statement that there was nor,
horse stealing during the past yea,
than in any previous year since tn,
county was settled" In the year o
1884 the county was full OF white
half-breed and Indian thieves and moi
a night escaped but horses were st Glen
Some men were Obliged to sleep il
their corrals to protect their horse
during the night Mr.. Bonner, of An
dersonville. lost thirteen head in on,
night. The Missouri river for hun
dreds of miles was the abode Of hors,
thieves. and those who did not danel,
in the sunlight at the end OF a cowboys
lariat went down the river in boats
to IL more con.enial cline. This, ol
course, WAS before the detective law
was enacted, but horse stealth. since
then has greatly diminished. as every
one knows. The stealing last summer
was confined almost entirely to the
Indians ON their passage through the
Basin. To prevent their derpre,ia-
tions it will require aiertnes, on the
part Of the military, detectives. settler.